Ridership issues for Amtrak in Raleigh

December 21, 2008 12:50:12 PM PST

RALEIGH --

The busiest and smallest Amtrak in the Southeast is experiencing problems.According to a local newspaper, last year more than 140,000 riders used the six trains that stop each day just south and west of downtown Raleigh.

The Thanksgiving holiday saw about 900 passengers a day. Amtrak says they will call in extra workers to manage the holiday crunch.

Many Christmas travelers will have to leave their cars several blocks away in a parking deck. There are only 57 parking spaces at the 4,700-square-foot station.

Next summer Amtrak will expand their service between Raleigh and Charlotte with a pair of trains leaving the two cities at midday.